Forgiveness
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have disappeared like that. I can't just leave my problems behind, and I shouldn't have left you." And he stood there and glanced up with the most pitiful eyes. "Wally, I'm so sorry."


**A/N: On another OTP rampage. Great. I blame it on my intense wanting to reread "Toxic". Reread it and then got slammed with these feels. Thank you, "Toxic", for once more ruining my heart.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Young Justice, Roy/Wally still wouldn't be canon. I'm sorry. Either way, I don't own it.**

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_Forgiveness_

The door to the apartment opened, a red-haired man walking in, lean and fit. "Wally," he said softly, voice like a plea as the door clicked shut behind him. "Wally, I made a mistake."

On the couch, another man, younger with a lighter shade of the same auburn hair, sat in complete silence. Under his eyes hung dark circles while the jade orbs themselves bore sorrow and anguish. "I know," his gentle voice breathed, barely audible.

The archer stepped in further, calloused hands reaching out as if grasping for an explanation, for some sense of what love used to hang in this room. Their apartment. The one he'd left two years ago in search of another life, one that wasn't frowned upon or shunned entirely. "Wally, I wanted something else, but I know now. You are more important than being accepted. You're too important to lose."

For the past two years, he'd been working two jobs. He'd managed to find a bookstore that took him during the day and a lab that let him run tests during the graveyard shift. He'd managed to keep the apartment, which had been the priority, but other amenities were cut. He could only pay the water bills every other month. The power had gone out five times since Roy left because the company shut it off. In two years, Wally had fallen so far. Just the day-to-day struggle of making money, trying to sleep, and coping with the loss were enough to drive him to the brink. "I know."

"I understand now that love and sex aren't the same." Roy moved in, eyes on the floor, heart on his sleeve. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have disappeared like that. I can't just leave my problems behind, and I shouldn't have left you." And he stood there and glanced up with the most pitiful eyes. "Wally, I'm so sorry."

"I know." Because through all that time, he'd waited for the day Roy would come home. Wally understood true love and accepted every stereotype he was labeled with. He didn't care that he was gay or that his boyfriend, ex-fiancée?, was bisexual. None of it bothered him. Wally knew love, and Wally knew Roy would be back. For the first year, Wally made two dinners, expecting the archer back each night. The second year, he'd stopped only because he didn't have enough cash for that much food. Ramen was every meal these days. He was expecting Roy to come back.

And he did.

"Do you- Do you forgive me?" He could see that Wally wasn't looking at him, had barely acknowledged his presence. He took a step forward only to see his boyfriend rise from the couch.

Gaunt, tired, and pale, Wally turned around to look at his one love, loneliness written all over his wan features. He held up his hands in a sort of shrug. "What choice do I have, Roy?" he asked hoarsely, almost choked up by burning tears. "You left me here. Alone."

That was one reason they'd ended up together. Neither wanted to be alone, but at the same time, they didn't want to be with others. So they found each other and made it work.

Time wore on. Roy was bored and Wally was loyal. Things changed. People changed. Roy walked out. Wally was left.

There were so many things he wished he could say, so many days he wanted to make up for, but right now, he just had that moment. Roy moved soberly around the couch and wrapped his arms around his love, a tight embrace of affection and apologies. He regretted every moment he was with Jade, but such things couldn't be taken back so easily. It took him too long to realize he needed Wally so desperately. "I'm so sorry," he whimpered, words drowning in sorrow and fear. "Wally, I made a mistake..."

He didn't return the gesture. His emerald gaze just raked the apartment, dingy, dark, dilapidated. It used to be beautiful. They would go out to dinner twice a week. They would rent movies. It was in the best shape ever when they bought the place. Roy brought in some chairs, Wally purchased the couch. It was beautiful. Now, the apartment was broken, and so were they.

"I know," he whispered. He was cracking, breaking. To forgive him felt wrong. After everything Roy had put him through, he had the gall to come back... And in the same moment, Roy was all Wally had left. Roy could pick him back up, make him whole, fill his heart again. Roy would fix everything. Everything that he'd broken.

"I'm so sorry..." He pulled away and gazed deep into Wally's incredible eyes, fingering his ginger locks, touching his face lovingly. "I know I messed you up pretty bad, but I'm here. I won't leave again, I promise. Jade is nothing compared to you. She's all body, but you're so much more than she could ever be."

Flattery. It tickled his heart, but the weariness still hung on his body, hunger heavy in his stomach. It would take a lot for Roy to fix him, if it were even possible. "I know."

"Can you forgive me for what I've done?" he asked sweetly, still looking down into his speedster's face with the most adoring eyes. Roy was desperate, begging. "I understand if you can't, but- but I want another chance if nothing else."

The engagement ring was still on his finger. He was waiting. True love would always find a way back home. This time, there was no response.

Something lit up in Roy's eyes, recalling some distant thought. "But before you decide to let me back in, there's someone you'll have to meet."

Wally swore, if it was Jade, he'd find a gun and kill himself right then and there. He didn't want to watch that whore be in Roy's life. She didn't deserve him. She hadn't earned him.

Instead, Roy reached behind him and carefully pulled a backpack from his shoulders. He opened the pack to reveal a precious head of red hair. A baby girl sat inside, asleep with a thumb in her mouth, a rattle at her side. "She's... She's my daughter. _Our_ daughter, if you want to keep the engagement on after all this. You'd have to go through adoption papers, but she'd be ours. Something to live for, Wally. I know you haven't had much for a long while, but we'll make it work again. I'll find a job again and pick up the bills for you, let you stay home with her for a while... Walls, I'm ready to make this work." His blue eyes shone has they lifted from his daughter to his lover, glowing with hope and pleas. "We'll start a family. _Together_." He took a breath and smiled sweetly. "I love you, Wally. More than anything else."

Roy's daughter. He'd be raising a daughter. Every ounce of him wanted to give into Roy and accept him back, but this... this heartbreak... A promise wouldn't make it go away. A family wouldn't make it go away. An apology wouldn't make it go away. Wally wanted Roy's love. Wally wanted a stable home. Wally wanted his life back.

He lifted a hand and pulled off the ring. It dropped to the floor, the only sound to shatter the silence. "Then why did you leave me?"

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**A/N: Yep. This is what "Toxic" does to me. Review? Thanks for reading.**

**~Sky**


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